New ministers appointed to Polish government

15 June. – Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz announced the names of new members of government to replace those who resigned last week over a wiretapping scandal. Professor Marian Zembala (Health), ex-mayor of Nowy Sacz Andrzej Czerwinski (Treasury) and rower Adam Korol (Sport) were nominated as ministers. Ex-Minister of Justice Marek Biernacki is a new coordinator of special services.

Kopacz’s decision did not cause any significant reaction from the public. Polish experts and politicians accepted it rather sceptically. Professor Ewa Pietrzyk-Zieniewicz says the appointments are not serious. “Decision about resignations was made under pressure. It was necessary to find new names quickly,” she explains (wp.pl).

In the meantime, new ministers created another reason to attack the government for the lack of competence and experience. Of all the newly nominated, only Biernacki has all the skills for such kind of work. He was a member of the second Donald Tusk’s government in 2013-2014, but he has not been remembered for anything outstanding. Other ministers have no experience of working in government at all.

Krzysztof Gawkowski from the Union of Democratic Left says that new ministers will drive the ruling Civic platform (PO) “into the coffin”. “Lack of experience leaves no chance that they will be able to manage ministries in the next four months. This is only a symbol of change and leaves no hope”, politician believes (TVP Info).

The president of the Solidary Poland party Stanislaw Ziobro says new appointments are not good at all because they are the consequences of absolutely chaotic measures (TVP Info). Janusz Palikot has a similar point of view. “Invitation of new ministers does not change anything. Nobody would believe that 120 days are enough to catch up with what was missing for eight years,” he wrote on Twitter.

Professor Norbert Maliszewski thinks the only thing new members of the government can do now is “to look for an election sausage”. “Politicians will focus on the bills and promises that can be used in the election campaign, but probably they will not be realised in four months,” he says (wp.pl)

Reproduction, distribution, dedication, demonstration, translation or citation of news, reviews or analytical articles, published at Europeinsight.net freely or under subscription, is only allowed with the obiligatory reference to the original source. Reviews and analytical reports, produced by Europe Insight LLC and not published at Europeinsight.net, may only be distributed under individual terms and conditions agreed with Europe Insight LLC.